Heart Stopping
by Idryth
Summary: A somewhat episodic - i.e. chatty and moves around! - type of tale set somewhere in the mid 6th season. Some angst, a little jealousy but no fear! Please forgive medical errors.  They're not my characters but if you like the story let me know please.
1. Chapter 1

Callie Voice Over:

As human beings, we're constantly faced with choices. Turn right, turn left, put the pen down, flip a page - it never ends. It might be hundreds or, more likely, thousands of minor decisions which, in the end, mean nothing during a single day or series of days.

As Doctors, we're faced with decisions and choices that affect the lives of other human beings. And, in either case, there could be just one choice, one decision that affects you for the rest of your life and, sometimes, that incredibly important decision is the one where there is no choice.

* * *

><p>"Wow," Callie breathed to herself.<p>

Simmering paella and the question she was going to ask completely forgotten, Callie had found herself staggeringly reacquainted with the phrase "Heart stopping" when she had heard the bathroom door open. Because, as if reinventing tales of the Norse Valkyrie, a naked and quite unabashed Arizona had just stepped through billowing clouds of steam on her way to the bedroom.

"Smells amazing!" Arizona commented, dimples out in full force with her quick smile as she strode fluidly into the bedroom.

As soon as Arizona was out of sight, Callie blew out a large breath and shook her head in an attempt to get blood flowing north again. "Amazing. Yep."

It was a constant source of surprise for Callie that Arizona had been a veritable hurricane of perky goodness, strength and honesty that brooked no argument about belonging in Callie's life, bed and heart. Not that Arizona wasn't obviously gorgeous and smart and well, too many things to list, especially at this moment when Callie's brain was a pile of lusty goo. But with as many lovers as Callie had experienced, the peds surgeon was leagues ahead of them in so many ways, it was the whole package. Everything, definitely including the mind-blowing sex.

Callie's thoughts went on a winding trip down the Arizona river again.

"Yep. Lusty brain goo."

It was on her mind to just turn off the stove and say to hell with dinner, but Arizona came out of the bedroom in her sweats as Callie was about to move to the burner.

"Hey," the still smiling blonde greeted Callie. "Almost ready? I'm starving."

"Oh yeah," Callie replied with a slow smile.

Arizona cocked her head slightly seeing Callie's smile. "What?"

"Just glad you're home," Callie replied and forcibly returned her attention to the stove. "Want to get the wine?"

"Sure," answered Arizona as she moved to the fridge and began to pour. "Hey, I was talking to Teddy earlier and she seems kinda down. I mentioned that maybe we could meet at Joe's tomorrow night. I checked your schedule and it looked good, think you can meet us?"

"Yeah, that'd be good. We haven't had everyone together in a while, so I'll spread the word. Be nice to just hang for a while."

"Great! Here you go," Arizona said as she handed Callie a glass, leaned in for a quick peck on the lips and then moved to sit at the bar to just relax with her girlfriend for a while. "Sorry I couldn't meet you for lunch, that emergency appy took a bit longer than I thought."

Taking a sip of her red wine, Callie divided her attention between the paella and Arizona. "Problems?" she asked.

"Just about as close to rupturing as I've ever seen without it actually doing so. I had to be extra careful and I had yet another scrub nurse I've never seen before, so it took a while to get a rhythm, you know?"

"Yeah, I've been lucky with the rotating nurse thing but I did have a new anesthesiologist manage to knock over my tray the other day during a hip reduction," Callie countered.

"And he lived?"

"Barely," Callie chuckled. "But I did hear something about another hospital poaching some of our best nurses."

"That's not good, which one?"

Callie replied, "I dunno, Bailey came in then and shut the chat down. Hey, this looks like it's almost done. Ready?"

"Oh yesss. I've been thinking about this all day. You make the best seafood paella I've ever had."

"You didn't get lunch then?"

"Donut from the cafeteria." Arizona got up and retrieved plates and silverware from their appropriate locations and then straightened with a look of excitement as she placed them on the bar. "Ooh, I forgot. I've got that peds surgeon visiting tomorrow to check us out. It'd be great to have another surgeon on board."

"Do you know them?" Callie queried.

"By reputation. She's supposed to be one of the best. I'll check her out in more detail later. I want to be prepared in case she has questions."

Turning off the stove, Callie carefully brought the paella pan to the bar and placed it on the colorful trivet. "Here we go!"

"Yay! Where's yours?" Arizona impishly asked.

"Cute, Arizona. Cute."

"Well you know it's one of my favorites. Hmm," Arizona began, her face taking on a questioning look as she scooped her dinner onto her dish, "So, why are you cooking one of my favorites again?"

"'cause it's one of your favorites?" Callie replied, keeping her attention firmly focused on the counter.

Blonde eyebrows raised, Arizona asked, "Because it's one of my favorites? I'm missing something and it's not my birthday. What am I missing, Calliope?"

Callie shook her head as she filled her own plate. "Nothing. I haven't cooked in a while and I just felt like doing this."

"Mm," Arizona answered, her mouth temporarily busy with the mouth-watering food and then continued, "God, this is good. Believe me, I'm not complaining but what's going on? Might as well tell me now."

When Callie just shook her head again, Arizona simply said, "Calliope."

Callie was very well aware of how impossible to resist her girlfriend when she used that tone and cocked her head to the side with her eyebrows raised. Swallowing her food and chasing it with some wine, she relented. "Fine. Okay. I was a total bitch yesterday and I just wanted to do something nice so you remember I'm not always the hardass bitch from hell."

"Hot," Arizona stated, and then took another bite of dinner.

"What?" Callie asked with some confusion, looking at the food and wondering what she was missing.

"You forgot hot," replied Arizona with a smile. "Hot, hardass bitch from hell."

As frequently happened when she had this type of conversation with her lover and knowing she was already forgiven, Callie was totally disarmed and simply smiled before saying, "I love you."

Returning the smile, Arizona said, "Me too. Plus, I seem to recall a very... satisfying evening afterwards."

Callie raised her glass towards Arizona. "Mmm. Well, here's to repeating the satisfaction tonight without the bitch part."

"I think I can arrange my part in that." Arizona met Callie's glass with her own and following it by leaning in and placing a light kiss on Callie's lips.

"Yep," thought Callie as she returned the kiss. "Definitely heart stopping."


	2. Chapter 2

"Mark! Joe's tonight?" Callie asked as Sloan sat down at the table in the lunch room.

"Why not. I'll beat Shepherd at darts again if he's going." Mark looked over at Meredith, who sat with Cristina at a table close to them, for confirmation.

Meredith answered, "I could use a break, so we should be able to make it. Derek's not scheduled for anything else today and I'm off in..." She looked at her watch. "Two hours, thank god, it's been a long day."

Cristina looked up from her sandwich, "Me too. Thanks to Altman I had to be nice to people today. Me. How wrong is that? I'm a surgeon. Surgeons shouldn't have to be nice. It's wrong."

Callie chuckled, "Oooh, Cristina being nice. Has to be a day to write on the calendar."

Meredith laughed and shook her head as she took a drink from her cup.

After pulling a face at Callie, Cristina concentrated on her sandwich again as Teddy passed her by to sit at the table with Callie and Mark.

Callie looked around in confusion when Teddy sat and started in on her chips. "Where's Arizona? I thought she was with you and the peds surgeon?"

"She got a page just as we were finishing up showing the doctor the new OR, I thought she was going to text you."

Checking her phone and seeing no messages, Callie started to type a message to her girlfriend.

"I need to go, but we'll see you later," Meredith said as she hopped off the chair and headed to the exit.

"There's Roller-Girl," Mark stated. "And yeah..." he started to say before his gaze was obviously drawn to the beautiful auburn haired woman who stood by the blonde. "THAT's the peds surgeon?" Sloan asked Teddy.

Teddy replied, "Yes, Doctor Snyder. According to Arizona, she has quite a reputation."

"Peds surgery is suddenly looking a lot more interesting," Mark commented.

"Mark," Callie warned and smiled at seeing Arizona's obviously bubbly personality aimed in full force at the visitor. Not for the first time, she wondered which weird law of the universe managed to snag her the perkiest person on the planet to be her girlfriend.

"Hey, I call 'em as I see 'em and that's quite something to see," Sloan countered.

Teddy rolled her eyes. "I was glad I was able to spend a little time with them this morning. Snyder seemed impressed with us and seems likely a great fit in peds."

Drawn straight to Callie, Arizona moved to the table with the visitor in tow. "Hey," she said with yet another smile but this time directed at her lover. Expanding her audience to the rest of the table, she said, "This is Doctor Audra Snyder, from Harbor University Medical Center in Chicago."

After placing her hand on Callie's shoulder, Arizona stepped to the side slightly and indicated the rest of the table. "Doctor Snyder, here are some of the best doctors I've ever worked with. I'm very lucky to be here."

A round of introductions and questions ensued and Arizona took the time to snatch a few fries from Callie's plate and direct a question at her, "I have an umbilical hernia that Doctor Snyder is going to observe in a few but are we on for Joe's later?"

Callie nodded. "Yep."

"Awesome!" Sensing the introductions and questions lessening, Arizona moved away with her visitor pausing only for a second to send a knowing smile at her girlfriend. "See you guys later."

Mark leaned to the side to watch the visiting doctor move away. "Nice. Wonder how long she's in town."

"Just today," Callie replied, immediately missing the warmth of Arizona's hand on her shoulder.

Teddy shook her head. "Arizona and I were talking about the PDA we're doing tomorrow and Snyder said she'd extend if she could observe that too."

"Wonder if the doctor will be visiting with us tonight," Mark pondered.

"You have a patent ductus arteriosis tomorrow?" Cristina asked quickly from the other table. "I've been watching and I didn't see that. Can I observe?"

"Arizona offered, but Snyder said something about visiting friends," Teddy replied to Mark and then looked at Cristina. "And, yes, Yang. I was going to ask you if you wanted to sit in anyway. It just came up today."

With a characteristic quicksilver smile, Cristina returned her full attention to the last of her sandwich as Karev sat down with his tray in the chair Meredith had vacated and Lexie sat next to him.

Mark had kept his mind on his own track. "Hm. Too bad but maybe she'll change her mind."

"I get the feeling that if Arizona couldn't persuade her to change her mind then nobody could," Teddy chuckled.

"My girlfriend does not give up easily, that's for sure," Callie agreed as she stood up. "All right, I have surgery in ten. See you guys later."

* * *

><p>As Arizona performed surgery on a child under the bright lights of the Operating Room, her blue eyes were completely focused on her patient. "How long have you been at Harbor?"<p>

"About seven years." replied Doctor Snyder, who was observing Arizona's surgery.

"And I saw that the last year you were head of the department?

"You've been doing your homework, Doctor Robbins. Yes."

"See what I'm doing here, Karev?" Arizona glanced up at the other doctor who was on the other side of the patient.

"Yeah," Karev answered, carefully watching Arizona's every surgical move. "Is this normal for umbilical hernias?" he asked.

Doctor Snyder chose to answer first, "I only see strangulations in approximately ten percent of the operations I do for umbilical hernias," As she observed Arizona's last steps to finish the repair, she asked the blonde, "Do you have a similar finding?"

"Ten to probably fifteen percent, yes," Arizona answered.

"How did the strangulation present itself?" Doctor Snyder asked.

"They brought him in a few hours ago with severe pain," Arizona replied. "The hernia wouldn't reduce and was obviously incarcerated. I'm just glad the bowel wasn't necrosed."

Karev chimed in, "Have you seen that before?"

Arizona nodded, a frown on her face. "Yes, a few times. Once where the bowel was necrosed and perforated." Anticipating Karev's next question, she continued. "I had to resection and follow with an anastomosis."

"Infection?" he asked.

"Thankfully not," Arizona replied, completely at ease with answering questions as she worked.

"You're a very good teacher," Doctor Snyder complimented Arizona as she finished the last suture. "Not just in surgery, but on your rounds too. They're lucky to have you."

Even with only her eyes visible, it was obvious that Arizona was smiling at the other doctor. "Thanks!" She gave her handiwork a look and nodded. "Looks good. Finish up, Karev and then let's get him to recovery and I'll check on him in a bit."

Karev nodded, completely at ease with facilitating the patient's next step in the surgery process.

Giving the patient one last long look, Arizona stepped back and glanced back in surprise and confusion when she felt Doctor Snyder's body against her own.

Hands in the air, Doctor Snyder immediately apologized, "Sorry! Different setup and my brain just went with the direction I'm used to."

Accepting the apology easily, Arizona said, "No problem. It is a bit weird to be in different setups, I know. And I get in my own world sometimes."

"So tell me about the resection," Snyder said as they both turned to leave.

Karev gave them a passing glance as they were walking through the door and turned his attention back to his patient.

* * *

><p>"Torres?"<p>

"Man versus car mirror, mirror won," Callie said from her position viewing the x-rays as Mark walked into the trauma room. "Severe facial lacerations. Check out the left eye."

Mark moved to the unconscious man's head and removed the gauze. "Ooh, not much skin left there," he commented at the damage to the eye socket. "Looks like the eye is okay, though."

"Femoral neck fracture here," she said, pointing to the x-ray of the patient's hip. "I need to get him in quick to preserve blood flow, but it's minimally displaced."

"Replacement?" Mark wondered, as he tended to the worst of the wounds on the man's face.

Callie replied, "No. It looks good for pinning." She glanced again at the x-rays which showed the femur floating slightly separately from the rest of the hip. "I better book an OR."

She turned to order a resident to book an OR but stepped back as the door flew open. "I'm sorry, but you can't be in here right now," she told the woman who rushed in.

"Is he going to be all right? We had an argument, so stupid. So stupid!"

"We're doing everything we can for him, but you need to step out," Callie gestured at Lexie. "Grey, take this lady out, we need to prep for surgery."

"Surgery?" the woman moaned. "Oh my god. He got out of the car on Madison, for god's sake. Just climbed out of the car and stood there yelling at me and then that car got too close and ... god."

Even as the woman was trying to talk to the patient, Lexie maneuvered her out the door and out of sight. "Jack, you hear me, you stupid jerk. I better be talking to you later about this. You got it?"

Callie shook her head. "The guy gets out in the middle of one of the busiest streets in Seattle to yell at her. What argument could ever be that important?"

Mark simply shrugged.


	3. Chapter 3

Hours later, Callie found the woman in the waiting room surrounded by several other people and moved to the group.

"Is he dead?" the woman asked quietly, tears streaming down her face.

"No. Definitely not," Callie replied as she looked around the anxious group of people. "I had to put pins in the bones of his hip to stabilize the area and it'll be a long recovery, but I have every confidence he'll do well. He has some other injuries but the hip was the main problem, the rest will heal with time."

Letting out a huge sigh of relief, the woman dropped her head.

"Did you want to see him for a minute?" Callie asked.

With the encouragement of the other people there, the woman stood and nodded her agreement. "I'm sorry, I'm Julie. Julie Hubbard. These are our friends, they came right away." She smiled gratefully at the group. "Jack is - is my idiot boyfriend."

"Why don't you come with me and spend a minute with him, but he's pretty out of it - so I need you to be calm. Okay?"

As Callie directed Julie to Jack's room, she got the full story.

"We were having an argument about this guy who's been coming onto me at work. Jack wanted me to quit, for god's sake. I can't quit! I need this job and he's a temp. It's not like he'll be around long."

"Mmhm," Callie murmured, only paying half attention as they entered the room.

Tears began to fall again on Julie's face as she closed the distance to her boyfriend. "We have things to finish up, Jack. I better get that chance. Why did you not just trust me to handle it?"

Obviously not sure where to place her hands because of the damage to her boyfriend, Julie placed one lightly on his hand. "I love you, you idiot."

Callie watched as Jack fluttered his eyes and tried to focus on his girlfriend.

"Jules?"

Relief evident, Julie's face softened perceptibly as she ran a fingertip along an undamaged portion of Jack's chin. "Don't ever do this to me again. You got it? Any of it. I love you. I wouldn't cheat, I'll never cheat. Got it?"

"Sorry," he whispered. "Just... sorry. Jealous."

"I know. I know. But he'll be gone in a couple of days and you'll be here forever. Forever." Julie brought Jack's hand up to her heart. "Don't forget that, okay?"

As Jack drifted off, Julie leaned down and placed the softest of kisses on Jack's uninjured lips. "Never forget, you dummy. Never forget."

Turning to Callie, Julie asked, "He really is going to be okay, right?"

"Like I said, he's young and strong and I have every hope that the recovery will be complete. It's going to be quite a while before he jumps out of a car on a busy street again, though."

"I told him I was handling it and it was nothing, but he wouldn't listen to me. It's not like it's the first time someone's come onto me, for god's sake. You deal with it, right?" Julie looked to Callie for confirmation.

"Yeah, you do," Callie replied, even as she realized that she couldn't think of the last time that someone from work, besides Mark, flirted with her. She was wondering if that was because she was so solid with Arizona and everyone knew it or she had lost a step somewhere when she realized Julie was talking again.

"... hasn't been anyone else for me since Jack and I don't think there ever will be, but the jealousy stuff has to stop. He gets so mad." Julie turned her attention back to Jack. "Idiot," she whispered. "I don't need anybody else, just you."

Callie watched as the other woman stepped back to the bed and once more placed her hand over Jack's.

* * *

><p>"Mark, you know I beat you every time," Derek Shepherd bragged to Mark Sloan as he threw his last dart.<p>

"Don't even go there, Shepherd. I beat you every game the last time you were here!" Mark argued.

"Would you please just try not to hit each other with the darts this time," Meredith pleaded as she watched the men play darts.

Cristina aimed a sad face at Meredith. "But it was so entertaining to see which of them was going to get thrown out first."

Callie cringed. "I don't want to be thrown out before I even get started, so knock it off you two!"

"They really were aiming at each other?" Teddy asked, surprise evident in her tone.

"Not really," Meredith answered. "They just got close a couple of times."

At Teddy's incredulous look, Meredith just shook her head and shrugged her shoulders at something she simply didn't understand.

"Close to what?" Karev asked as he stepped to the tall table.

"You don't wanna know." Arizona rolled her eyes and took a sip of her beer.

Callie leaned over to Arizona, clinked their bottles together and said, "Good choice on a beer night."

"Yes, just feels like a beer night to me," the peds surgeon replied with a grin.

Karev nodded in agreement as he walked up to the table. "That does sound good." He stopped on his way past Arizona to get his drink. "Hey, I checked on the hernia before I came over. All good."

Pleased that Karev took the step to check on the patient, even though she had done the same, Arizona smiled. "Thanks. He's a strong little boy, he'll be fine."

"Am I assisting in the PDA tomorrow?" Cristina suddenly asked Teddy.

Teddy was unwilling to invite Yang to assist without speaking with Arizona and so she turned to face Cristina and answered, "Just be there and we'll figure it all out tomorrow."

Nodding, Cristina took the words at their face value and picked up her glass to take a drink.

Moving slightly to the side to get a better view, Teddy said, "Hey, Arizona, isn't that Doctor Snyder?"

Arizona looked over as she finished her beer. "Hey - Yeah, it is. I'm gonna go say hi."

"That's the visiting peds surgeon, isn't it?" Karev said as he sat back at the table.

"Yep," Callie answered as she watched Arizona head over to the other table.

Cristina chimed in, "We all get to hope that she's not as perky as roller-skate girl."

Meredith spluttered, "Cristina!"

"You gotta admit," Mark added, "That IS way too much perk."

Making a face at Mark, Callie said, "Right, and you two are so much better with your drama and nonsense. The perk's just fine."

"The... perk?" Teddy asked somewhat surprised, still unused to this group of people and the odd family they'd created.

"She works in peds, I'm pretty sure perk is a lifesaver," Meredith commented.

"Perk or not, she's a great asset to the hospital," Derek added.

"Yeah, she is." Pleased, Callie nodded in proud agreement and then glared at Mark to ensure he had no comments to add.

"They know each other from before?" Karev asked Callie of Arizona and Doctor Snyder.

"Nope, Arizona did some research on her last night," Callie answered. When Karev didn't continue, Callie asked, "Why?"  
>"What ... Nothing," Karev answered in the tone that told you he was more interested in nursing his beer than dealing with further conversation.<p>

Doctor Snyder looked up as Arizona approached. "Doctor Robbins!"

"Doctor Snyder, I'm sorry to interrupt - I just wanted to say hi and I hope we'll see you tomorrow!"

"Oh, interrupt anytime. These are my friends, Andy and Gigi. They were kind enough to keep me busy tonight. Guys - this is Doctor Arizona Robbins, a wonderful peds surgeon from the hospital I'm visiting."

After a few introductory sentences and the shaking their hands, Arizona started to move away. "Well, I'll let you get back to your night out and we'll hopefully see you again tomorrow, Doctor Snyder."

Doctor Snyder clasped Arizona's hand with both of her own. "Audra, please. And you will, don't worry. I may stay a few more days, actually, if you think it might be a good idea."

After bringing her other hand to pat Doctor Snyder's hands, Arizona gracefully extricated her held hand by stepping a little further away. "It's a great facility and we'd be happy to see you take a closer look. I better get back to my friends, I'll see you tomorrow!"

Callie looked over at her girlfriend just in time to see Arizona remove her hand from Doctor Snyder's grasp and step away from the table.

"Torres!" Mark's tone demanded an answer.

"What?" Callie exclaimed and pulled her attention away from Arizona and back to Mark.

"Stop watching Robbins already and answer my question. Is Lexie coming, I didn't see her before I came over."

"I am not little Grey's keeper," Callie responded with a sigh.

"She caught a surgery with Doctor Perkins," Meredith supplied.

"Is Doctor Snyder coming back tomorrow?" Teddy asked of Arizona when the peds surgeon returned to the table and immediately took a seat.

"Yep! I think she's impressed," Arizona answered as Callie pushed another beer in her direction. Leaning over, she gave Callie a kiss on the cheek with a wide grin. "Thanks!"

"See," Cristina groaned as she rolled her eyes in disgust, "Perk!"


	4. Chapter 4

"Lunch today?" Callie asked Arizona as they entered the hospital the next morning.

Arizona smiled. "My surgery should be done by then. I'll text you, okay?"

Callie nodded and returned the smile with a quick kiss on the cheek as they separated. "Deal, see you later."

As she stepped into the elevator, Arizona let her mind wander to a very nice place when she turned to simply enjoy the view of Callie striding away. As the door closed, she mumbled to herself, "Twitterpated, Arizona. Completely and totally twitterpated."

Blowing out a breath, she leaned back against the elevator wall and thought about Callie as the elevator started to move. Never had she dreamed that she would fall so hard and so fast for someone but it had been incredibly easy, perhaps just as easy as kissing a woman in a bathroom, she mused. All it took, she supposed, was the right woman.

Life with Callie would never be a smooth road, Arizona knew without a doubt. Her fiery lover was brash and yet unerringly apologetic when she realized she'd done wrong, tough as nails and yet sweetly caring, a total rockstar but so terrifyingly insecure at the same time - and so much more. The thing was that with everything Callie was, Arizona knew that there had never been anyone who fit so perfectly, so easily and who was simply... the woman she never thought she'd find.

Roused from her inner study of all that was the woman she loved Arizona glanced up just in time to realize it was her floor and squeezed through the elevator doors just before they closed on her.

"Oof!" Doctor Snyder exclaimed as Arizona slammed into her.

"I'm so sorry!" Arizona apologized in dismay, stepping back from Doctor Snyder's hold to assess if there was any damage. "I was day dreaming and almost missed the floor. I'm so very sorry."

"No worries, Arizona, just surprised me is all."

"Me too! I'm not usually so distracted," Arizona offered, thankful that she hadn't hurt the other doctor. "Anyway, again - apologies, Doctor Snyder."

"Not a problem," Snyder replied. "What's the plan for today?"

Arizona collected herself and got back on track. "I have a few patients I need to see and then we'll get to the surgery. Did you want to come with me?"

Doctor Snyder took no time to answer. "That would be wonderful."

* * *

><p>Seeing Julie in the room with her boyfriend, Callie stood by the door and just watched the other woman talk to the unconscious Jack.<p>

Lexie spoke up from her spot at the observation window, "I think I'm going to grab some lunch since there's a break."

Surprising that it was close to lunch time, Callie checked her cell for a message from Arizona and was disappointed to find that for the second day in a row there wasn't one. "Yeah, I'm gonna give it a few more and go myself. I'll just check on him," she said, indicating Jack.

"I can do it if you want?" Lexie offered.

Callie shook her head. "It's okay. I'm waiting for Arizona anyway. Go on." Not waiting for Lexie to leave, Callie stepped into the room and picked up Jack's chart.

"Is he doing okay?" Julie queried. The eyes she looked at Callie with were both hopeful and fearful at the same time.

Reading the information from his chart quickly, Callie nodded. "Looks good."

Julie let out a relieved sigh. "Thank god. His parents went to get something to eat, they were up all night so it'll be great to give them good news."

Callie looked at other woman, gauging the depth of her obvious exhaustion. "Maybe you should've gone too?"

"I can't," Julie replied.

Frowning, Callie was about to try to persuade Julie to take a break when the other woman continued.

"It's my fault," she whispered.

Taken aback, Callie insisted, "You're not the one who made him get out of a car in the middle of a busy street."

"But I am," Julie said as a tear broke free and slid down her face. "It's my fault. I should've handled it. We have HR for a reason, you know? I could've gone in and made a complaint... I should've gone in and made a complaint or let Jack confront him like he wanted to."

Drawn in despite herself, Callie moved closer to the other woman. "It's easy to play the blame game when you're looking at the past."

"I just wanted him to trust me," Julie continued and then looked up at Callie. "You know? Just trust me."

"Do trust you," Jack croaked out in obvious pain. "Idiot, sorry. My ... fault."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. If it ever happens again, I'll take care of it and we won't fight," Julie sobbed, relieved her boyfriend was speaking again.

Fighting sleep, Jack whispered, "Trust you. Believe ... Love you."

For the first time, Julie smiled. "I love you too. Always."


	5. Chapter 5

After leaving the couple, Callie found herself on the OR floor checking the board to see which room Arizona was operating in and headed to the OR's gallery to see if lunch was going to be solo or not.

Glancing at the monitor when she stepped in, Callie quickly determined that the surgery was almost finished and so sat in the front row to wait and relax for a few minutes.

Watching carefully, she could see the ease with which Arizona worked with Teddy and Cristina as they focused on the child they were working on. Even the visitor, Doctor Snyder, seemed to fit into the background, with the rest of the crew in the operating room. All a very good sign of a well-run OR.

"Have you ever seen a bilateral?" Doctor Snyder asked.

Teddy replied, "I've only seen one."

"You've seen a bilateral? They're very rare," Cristina commented, impressed with the fact.

"Yes, presented as a heart murmur and severe cyanosis," Teddy said, even as she checked her handiwork one last time before putting the finishing touches on the surgery. "And I think we're just about done here. Doctor Yang? Doctor Robbins?" she asked of her fellow surgeons to ensure they agreed.

"Yes," Cristina agreed. "A very clean procedure, Doctor Altman."

Arizona concurred, "It looks good, very good. This is going to be one happy little girl in a few months when she's all healed."

"Agreed," Doctor Snyder added. "Very impressive work, Doctors."

"Doctor Yang, page me if you need me," Teddy said, giving the post-op care of the patient to Cristina.

Arizona stepped back slightly from the table and noticed a splash of white above her in the gallery. "Hey," she smiled up at Callie, knowing her girlfriend would see the smile even with the mask.

Moving over to use the intercom, Callie asked, "Hey, lunch?"

"Absolutely," Arizona replied. "Meet you there?"

Callie nodded and started to move away from the glass but stopped when she noticed Doctor Snyder put her arm around Arizona's back as they left the OR. With a slight flutter in her stomach, she watched them step out of sight and decided a change in the plan was required.

Teddy, Arizona and Doctor Snyder entered the hallway and Callie pushed away from the wall by the board where she'd been waiting somewhat impatiently. When Arizona noticed her, Callie smiled, uncrossed her arms and stated, "I decided to wait and walk to the lunch room with my girlfriend."

Arizona raised her eyebrows as she recognized Callie's tone as one she should pay attention to. She answered simply, "Awesome," before closing in and gently kissing her girlfriend on the lips, knowing just that action made a statement in and of itself.

"The Chief is on his way to show you the rest of the hospital, Doctor Snyder," Arizona said to the visitor as she turned around, "We're just going to go get some lunch and I'll check on the patient's status after that. See you for evening rounds?"

"Definitely," Doctor Snyder replied as she looked at the two women.

Nodding, Arizona stated, "See you then," and then she smiled a goodbye to Teddy.

Taking the opportunity to steal her girlfriend away, Callie lightly grasped Arizona's elbow and turned them around to head in the opposite direction from the other two women. Rounding a corner, Callie spotted a supply closet and tugged Arizona through the door.

"Not that I'm unhappy to be dragged into a dark place by my girlfriend," Arizona stated, "But, you don't usually watch my surgeries and you waited for me too. Everything okay?"

"It's great," Callie said as she closed in and concentrated on kissing her lover.

On the verge of taking the make-out session to a new level, they jumped apart as the door to the supply closet opened.

"Oh no! No, no, no, no, no!" Bailey shouted from the doorway. "You are NOT using my supply closet as your..." Gesticulating wildly, she tried to find safe word and settled on, "Your... sex place! This is a hospital, not a bedroom! Out!"

When Callie and Arizona hesitated and rearranged clothing, Bailey pointed to the doorway, "OUT!"

Almost running out of the supply closet, Arizona turned to Callie and tried not to laugh but failed. "Lunch?" Arizona gasped between chuckles.

Callie laughed as she and Arizona rode the elevator to their destination. "Been a long time since I was caught in a room having sex."

"Don't think I want to know about that," Arizona muttered as they exited the elevator.

Rubbing her lover's arm, Callie leaned closer and whispered, "You're the only one I'll be having sex in a supply closet or on call room or wherever again, got it?"

"Good answer, but I'm still gonna run out of bricks," Arizona mumbled.

Callie frowned and glanced at Arizona. "Bricks?"

"Never mind," Arizona said as she turned her attention to the decision over what to have for lunch.

Mark joined them when they were half way through lunch. "So where's the visitor, Robbins?"

"No idea," Arizona replied.

"She gonna stick around?" Mark continued.

"She mentioned staying another day or so and I'm still waiting on a couple of return calls but so far I'm guessing we'd be very lucky to have her if she decides to stay," Arizona answered, smiling up at Teddy when she came to sit at their table.

"Hey," Teddy said as she sat.

The sound of a beeper erased any response.

"Damn," Arizona said as she checked her pager. "Gotta go, it's the pit. See you later."

After a quick kiss, Callie watched Arizona leave and turned her attention back to the table and quickly asked Teddy, "So what do you know about Snyder?"

Mark looked at Callie inquisitively as he ate.

Teddy answered, "She seems very competent. She asks good questions, knows her stuff and had a good rapport with the patient today." Taking a bite of her sandwich, she continued, "Most importantly, Arizona seems impressed with her."

Callie nodded. "Mmm."

Once more the piercing sound of a pager went off and this time Teddy sighed in resignation. "Mine. I guess lunch is going to have to wait."

With a last bite of her sandwich and drink from her straw, Teddy left the table.

"What's going on, Torres?" Mark questioned.

"What? Nothing." Callie responded.

Mark stared at Callie. "Right. Okay."

"It's nothing, it's just that Doctor... it's nothing," Callie replied.

"Torres?"

Obviously disconcerted, Callie blurted out, "It's just a feeling, okay? Just a feeling."

"What sort of feeling," Mark questioned, his curiosity about what was going on with his friend suddenly raised.

Callie looked miserable. "I- I don't know."

Mark just raised his eyebrows.

"Look," Callie began and then looked around to make sure nobody could overhear. Lowering her voice, she blushed furiously as she continued, "I kinda dragged Arizona into a supply closet like a caveman earlier."

"Tell me more," Mark insisted, a lecherous smile on his face.

"Mark!" Callie warned before continuing, "I just don't know, something about Snyder just got me going."

Now Mark looked at Callie with a shocked look on his face. "You have a thing for Snyder? How the hell did that happen?"

"What? No!" Callie exclaimed and looked around again to see if anyone was paying attention after her outburst.

Mark finally picked up on the problem as the light bulb went off. "You're kidding right?" He waited for Callie to stop his train of thought and when she didn't, he shook his head. "Another one for Robbins? What is it with her and the hot chicks?"

Blowing out a breath, Callie shrugged. "What do I know? It's just a feeling," she continued, obviously disconcerted with having said something.

"So back to the closet thing," Mark teased.

Callie blew out a long breath. "She's funny and smart and sooo damn hot. It's just ..."

"And this is helping me with you two in the supply closet how?"

Callie glared at Mark and then held her head in her hands. "I love her, Mark."

Concerned by Callie's tone, Mark leaned in. "Anyone who has eyes can see that, Cal. So what's going on?"

"I never really thought about it before, you know?" Callie answered.

Mark shook his head. "Okay, you're gonna have to give me more here, Torres."

"Look, I've never had to... She faces my past every day here, but I've never had to deal with that. I've - I've never had to deal with people who are or were interested in her, you know?"

"What about that redhead from Pathology she was beating off with a stick a few weeks ago?"

Callie looked up instantly. "What redhead from Pathology?"

"So this is all because you're jealous?"

"What redhead?" Callie insisted.

"If you think Robbins would cheat on you, you need to talk to her."

"I don't." Callie shook her head at Mark's raised eyebrows. "I really don't. That's not Arizona, she wouldn't cheat. Ever."

Confused now, Mark said, "So, what's the problem?"

"She's stood by me through everything, Mark. Everything. Sometimes I just wonder if it's enough for her, you know?"

At an obvious loss, Mark shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just gonna say it. She loves you, you love her. Deal."

Unable to stop the chuckle, Callie went with it. "Deal? That's your advice?"

"Hey, I'm a man of few words. You're jealous, get over it. Deal," Mark insisted.

"Only if you tell me about the redhead," Callie replied, this time with a slight smile.

Listening to Mark tell her about a certain redhead occupied a good portion of Callie's thoughts for the rest of their lunch, but she went back to work with a lot on her mind.


	6. Chapter 6

Arizona opened the apartment door and looked apologetically at Callie as she hung up her jacket. "Sorry I couldn't make the movie."

"Like I didn't miss two dinners last week because of emergency surgeries?" Callie returned as she leaned in to greet her lover with a kiss.

"Maybe we can go on Friday?" Arizona questioned, "We're both off at six."

"Sounds good, maybe we can get Teddy and some of the others to come too, it's supposedly a total chick flick."

"Ooh, good idea... who knew, beautiful and smart," Arizona teased.

Callie looked at her lover with raised eyebrows. "Just those two?"

Faking confusion, Arizona shook her head. "Hmm, there are more?"

Callie swatted Arizona on the arm.

"Problem?" Arizona turned on her best dimples.

Stepping close, Callie chose to show Arizona some of her other skills by kissing the other woman until Arizona started to let her hands wander under Callie's blouse. At that point, Callie broke off the kiss and turned to walk to the fridge, "Want some leftover paella? I was about to heat some up."

Arizona let out a frustrated breath. "What?"

"What what?"

"Calliope, get back here and finish what you started twice today," Arizona insisted.

Enjoying the moment, Callie opened the fridge and stood there to let the cool air bring down her own overheated senses. "You know, it seems that maybe you don't think I have the skills to finish what I started."

Growling under her breath, Arizona jumped off the stool and stalked over to Callie and pushed the fridge door closed. Turning Callie around gently, Arizona announced, "You're gorgeous," and then started to punctuate each word with a kiss on a different portion of her lover's body. "Smart. Amazing. Fantastic. Hardcore. Miraculous. Stunning. Enthralling. Sexy as ..."

Arizona's words were cut off by Callie's lips, which stayed there for some time before Callie moved back slightly and breathed, "I think we can find a better place to test my skills."

"No testing needed, but I think we'll just make sure we're both in practice, hm?" Arizona murmured as they moved towards the bedroom.

* * *

><p>With her head resting on Arizona's midriff, Callie was in the perfect position to hear the blonde's stomach rumble. "Trying to tell me something?"<p>

"That your many skills have exhausted me?" Arizona replied. "Or maybe that I need some sustenance before I waste away to nothing because you use your skills so well?"

"Ah, so now you recognize I'm skillful?"

Stroking Callie's hair, Arizona replied softly, "You've always had all the skills I could ever need or want."

"Always?"

Frowning slightly at Callie's tone, Arizona replied, "From the first time I kissed you, I knew I was in trouble."

Surprised, Callie pulled herself up and then rolled over to lean on her elbows so that she could see Arizona. "What do you mean, in trouble?"

"Calliope," Arizona started, "Do you really think I always follow women I don't know into a bathroom and kiss them?"

"Well, I hope not but we've never really talked about that. I mean - why did you?"

Arizona cupped Callie's cheek with her hand. "Because I'd been watching you for weeks and had tried to find the guts to ask you out? Because the fact that you were upset mattered for reasons that I didn't even want to think about then? Why do you think I chickened out initially when you asked me on a date?"

"I seem to recall something about me being a newborn and you didn't want anything to do with me," Callie replied, the sting of that moment coming back suddenly for just a moment before she looked at Arizona and felt it be whisked away.

After a soft kiss, Arizona argued, "No. You forget that people talk all the time, I knew Erica was your first. I panicked because I hadn't even spoken to you and yet I kissed you just to try to make your hurt go away. I realized afterwards that I was already lost and then came the panic."

"Or found?" Callie asked.

Arizona grinned. "I like that better. Already found."

"I almost got whiplash from the 180 I did when you kissed me, you know that?"

"In a good way, I hope?" Arizona questioned.

"When I walked in that bathroom, I was at one of the lowest points in my life. Then you kissed me and I thought my heart might explode, I couldn't stop grinning like a fool. It went from worst to best in a flash."

Wanting to lighten the mood, Arizona replied, "Of course you felt better, I'm a master kisser."

"Really?" Callie drew out languidly. "Shouldn't I be the one judging that?"

"Well, how about I try to prove my master rank AFTER we get some food so you don't have to explain to someone why I fainted?"

"Leftover paella?" Callie answered as she pushed off the bed and grabbed the closest articles of clothing she could find and leaving the bedroom.

"Mm, that would be great. I forgot, I'll have to add cooking to your skills the next time I have to list them," Arizona said as she slipped on a pair of sweats and a shirt.

"We'll have to get back to the skills later, after dinner," Callie teased even as she walked to the fridge and dished out enough paella for the two of them. Adding a splash of water to keep it moist, she covered the dish and placed it in the microwave to heat up.

Arizona sat on the sofa just in time to hear her pager go off. "No, no, no. I'm not on call tonight!"

Callie watched her lover pick up her pager and frown as she read it. "Do you have to go back in?" Callie asked.

Arizona frowned. "I don't know the number. Let me call and just make sure."

Dividing her attention between watching the microwave tick down and watching Arizona make her call, Callie got plates, glasses and silverware ready. She hoped Arizona would be able to eat before she had to leave, if she had to leave.

Arizona put down her pager as the phone call connected and she listened for a moment. "Oh, hi. I didn't realize you had my pager number."

"Oh, it's fine, I was just surprised." Arizona paused as she listened and then continued, "Tomorrow? I have another umbilical hernia, a couple of appys and likely a hydrocele repair but the parents want it to fix itself, so they're hesitating. That's about it, apart from rounds."

The microwave dinged and Callie carefully divided the paella between the two plates, before pouring a glass of red wine for herself and white for Arizona.

"Sure, that's great. I'll see you tomorrow then." Arizona paused again. "Oh no... no, you don't have to thank me, really. And I'm just about to eat dinner with my girlfriend, but thank you."

Knowing instinctively who was on the other end of the phone, Callie felt the flutters in her stomach again. Rather than pluck the phone out of Arizona's hand and say a few things she probably shouldn't say, she took a sip of wine.

"I'm sorry, I already have lunch plans tomorrow but how about I bring you a cup of coffee in the morning instead?" Arizona listened again. "Okay, deal. I'll see you in the morning then. Bye."

"Let me guess, Snyder?" Callie intoned in a flat voice.

Her mind occupied, Arizona missed the inflection in Callie's voice. "Yeah, I thought the nurses gave out my pager number but I guess they paged for her because she's been around so much lately."

"And she was asking you out to dinner?"

Understanding immediately she was on dangerous ground even as she wasn't sure why, Arizona replied evenly, "To thank me for showing her around and letting her extend the stay."

Tapping her fingernail on the bar's counter, Callie sampled her wine again before saying, "And you have plans for lunch tomorrow already?"

"Yes. With you, of course, unless you get caught up," Arizona answered and took a bite of her food, trying to divert the direction the conversation suddenly seemed to be going in. "This is just as good tonight too, thanks."

"I don't care about the paella right now, Arizona. I don't like her," Callie announced.

"Why?"

"She's interested in you," Callie spat.

Arizona shrugged her shoulders. "Even if she was, I'm not the slightest bit interested in her, Calliope. There's only one person I'm interested in and she's right here."

"You're going to recommend she be offered a position, aren't you?" Callie asked, as she recognized that her stomach suddenly had no interest in the food.

Arizona fielded the question carefully. "She has great references and Peds could really use the help of a seasoned professional. I could use the help, I wouldn't have to be on call as much if we had someone else. But, I'm still waiting on some calls."

"So, you are going to recommend her, even though she knows you have a girlfriend and yet is still asking you to dinner?"

"Callie," Arizona began.

"No," Callie interrupted. "Don't Callie me. This woman is after you and you're going to get her a job where she works with you every day."

Arizona sighed and spent a moment brushing non-existent strands of hair from her face to collect her thoughts. "Do you trust me?"

"It's nothing to do with if I trust you or not," Callie replied.

Arizona's eyebrows rose high up her forehead as she just looked at Callie.

"It's not," Callie insisted.

"You don't trust me," Arizona stated as she slid off the stool and started to move away, feeling as if her heart had suddenly dropped to the ground.

Suddenly panicked at the look in her girlfriend's eyes, Callie lightly grasped Arizona's arm and kept her in place. "Wait, no. Please," she pleaded. "I do trust you."

Saddened, Arizona just looked at her lover.

"I love you. I trust you," Callie insisted. "In fact, I told Mark today I trusted you implicitly. I know you would never cheat on me. Could never." Callie cupped Arizona's cheek with a hand. "I know that to be a fact, there is no doubt in my mind. None."

"If that's true, then what's going on?"

Bringing her hand down from Arizona's cheek to hold her hand, she led the blonde to the sofa and they both sat down facing each other.

Callie took a few seconds to collect her thoughts and then looked up at Arizona. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Before her girlfriend could speak, Callie continued, "Even though I know you wouldn't cheat, I've never thought about what working here must be like for you sometimes. To be reminded of my previous, let's say, experiences all the time. And I guess it just took one person to slobber all over you and slam home that the badass bubble I've been living in needs a wakeup call."

"Badass bubble?" Arizona asked curiously.

"Yeah," Callie said, understanding this was a time for complete honesty. "Arizona, you're amazing. Incredible. We're so very good together. After Erica..."

"You don't have to..."

Callie shook her head and interrupted Arizona, "Please. Let me say this." She gently grasped Arizona's hands in her own and continued, "After Erica, I - I once told Mark that if I had another failed relationship it would cut me off at the knees." Callie took a deep breath and released it slowly, then went on, "But if something happened with us, it would be so far beyond losing my knees that I don't know if I'd ever recover. Seeing someone go after you like that kinda shook my world. Shook the perfect space I'd been living in with you. And I reacted badly, I'm sorry."

"But you've seen people hit on me before and it never seemed to bother you," Arizona said.

"Oh, it bothered me but I was right there and was able to deal with it, so it wasn't the same. This is someone who will work with you all the time, someone you'd spend a lot of time with when I'm not there and my mind just went crazy with ... well, it went crazy. I just haven't had to deal with THAT person before."

"You mean someone like Mark is to you?" Arizona asked.

"No." Callie winced. "Okay, maybe a little like that."

"A little?"

"Point taken," Callie conceded. "I'm sorry I haven't really gotten your perspective before and I think I get it now."

"So you're saying you want to borrow some bricks," Arizona teased gently, feeling her heart slowly release from the constricted form it had been in for the last few minutes.

"What is this brick thing?" Callie asked.

Arizona smiled finally, willing to believe in Callie and allow the deflection. "It's just a little mental exercise I do, thinking about throwing a brick at your former lovers. You know, angles and damage and so on."

Callie returned the smile with one of her own and said, "I'm sorry I was such an idiot. This just ... I guess it just hit all my buttons at once."

"There are other buttons that got pushed?" Arizona asked, curious despite feeling like she had run a marathon.

"I know I'm not easy, Arizona. I know that. I know I sometimes speak before I think, I know I don't usually look at both sides before I make my point of view abundantly clear. I know I have so many flaws, I guess this just made me think of how you could have anyone and you chose me."

"You need to listen to me, okay?" Arizona soothed. "We're all flawed, we all make mistakes and we all want to take back things we've said and done. Yes, we're different but haven't you ever heard of that saying about opposites attracting? Maybe the reasons why we're different are exactly why we're so good together. And we are very, very good together." She kissed the back of Callie's hand. "You chose me too and every single day I bless whatever wind of fortune brought you to me, because I won the Callie lottery and I plan to collect for a very long time."

A glint of humor appeared in Callie's eyes. "And how much did you pay for those lottery tickets?"

"Calliope, I love you," Arizona began, needing to say it one more time as she squeezed Callie's hands tighter. "I would never be stupid enough to cheat on you. And I would do anything for you, you have to know that."

"I do."

"Then know that it wouldn't matter if every woman in the world offered themselves up to me, it just wouldn't matter. There's one that I want and I have her. Okay?"

"Okay," Callie agreed. "And you have to know that you're it for me too."

The two women leaned closer and melded their foreheads together for a few moments before bringing their lips together as well.

Pulling back slightly after a long moment, Arizona said, "Think we can just have a quiet night and finish dinner safely?"

"I think we can arrange that. Let me micro another batch of paella up, I'm suddenly very hungry," Callie replied, feeling much better than she had in a couple of days.


	7. Chapter 7

"I need the notes written up on these," Teddy said as she handed several charts to Cristina and sent her on her way. Intending to find herself a cup of coffee in the Doctor's lounge, she turned towards the door. As she turned, she noticed a movement through the window and blinked, stopping still in shock as she saw Doctor Snyder reach out and stroke Arizona's cheek.

Inside the lounge, Arizona stepped back with some annoyance and slammed her cup on the counter causing some of the coffee to spill. "What the hell?"

"Arizona, I've learned that when you see something you like, you have to just go for it. I see something I like. Very much," Snyder answered as she raked her gaze over Arizona's body.

Arizona let out an annoyed breath. "You know, I figured your crap would stop when you knew that I was in a relationship and we could get around to working together. What part of that do you not get?"

"A little fun never hurt anyone, it'll be fine."

"No. No," Arizona insisted and continued as she wiped the counter and then picked up her coffee cup again, "Definitely not happening."

Snyder sighed. "What's the big deal?'

"Look, there would be no shortage of people after you in this hospital and, from what I'm hearing, you're a very talented surgeon. But, this thing you're trying with me stops now, okay? I don't care how badly we need more peds surgeons, I won't work with this hanging over me every time I see you. I'm not interested," Arizona stated firmly.

They stopped speaking as Teddy opened the door and stepped into the lounge, her eyes moving from one to the other.

Definitely sensing her alone time was over, Doctor Snyder smiled at Teddy and said, "I'll see you both in the OR," as she left the lounge.

"Okay, what the hell is going on?" Teddy asked as she moved closer to Arizona, completely sure of her friend's feelings for Callie.

Arizona sighed and sat down at the table. "I probably let it go on too long, but she's very good at making things seem accidental or friendly. This was the most over the line thing she's done and totally confirmed what I thought was going on."

"What else has she done?" Teddy questioned as she sat down next to her friend.

Arizona took a sip of her coffee. "You know, just things like 'accidental' touches and holding my hand too long or asking me to dinner. I'm usually much better at figuring this stuff out."

"I have to say, I wondered the first time I saw her with you. She seemed very... attentive."

"Callie called it right last night, I guess I was just hoping it would work out." Arizona let out a breath as she shook her head.

Teddy's eyes widened. "Callie knows?"

"Yeah," Arizona replied and then frowned at Teddy's look. "She fixes broken bones, Teddy, she doesn't break them."

"I know that," Teddy chuckled. "But, you have to admit, she's pretty intimidating when she's worked up. I sure wouldn't want her mad at me."

Arizona smiled. "True. We had a good talk about it, actually, and it supported my view that something was going on. So, I made another phone call to a good friend of mine who used to work at the hospital in Boston where Snyder was an intern. Still waiting for a call back, though."

"Well, if you need me as a witness to that, let me know."

Arizona winced. "I have a confession."

"Utoh, what?"

Arizona grimaced as she said, "Well, I enjoy spending time with you, of course. But, after I started to get a clue, I kinda made sure that you or Karev were around as much as possible. I'm sorry, I didn't want to say anything in case I was wrong."

"That's fine, but next time just tell me so I can pull out the 'tude and help out." Teddy flexed her somewhat non-existent arm muscles.

"Thanks, Teddy," Arizona replied as she placed her hand over Teddy's and squeezed it. "Really, thanks. And now, ready for the esophageal atresia?"

Teddy nodded and stood up. "Yeah, let's get it done."

As Arizona and Teddy entered the hallway, Callie exited OR 4 and smiled a greeting.

"Hey," Arizona called out. "I didn't realize you had surgery now."

"Straight from the pit, car accident. Totally broke both wrists from hanging onto the steering wheel."

"Ouch," Arizona commented.

"Yeah. Text me when you get out?"

Arizona was about to reply when her phone rang and Doctor Snyder opened the door and stepped into the hallway. Glancing at her phone, Arizona said, "Oh, I gotta get this. I'll let you know when we're done, okay?" she asked Callie and then walked through the door to the OR for some privacy.

Noticing Callie and Doctor Snyder eyeing each other, Teddy looked at Callie with a questioning cock of her head.

Callie noticed the tacit support and smiled at her lover's friend. "Any chance you want to see Blind Love on Friday night? Arizona and I thought we'd try a girl's movie night."

"I'll check my schedule, if I'm free, sure. Haven't been to the movies in ... well, a long time," Teddy replied.

"Great, one of us will get you the details."

With one more look at the two women, Teddy nodded. "Okay, I better get in there and get scrubbing. Talk to you later."

Callie watched Teddy walk away and step through the door to the OR and then turned her gaze to Doctor Snyder.

"Something to say?" Snyder queried.

"Why are you doing this?"

"What am I doing exactly?" Snyder asked.

"Okay. We can play that game." Callie dismissed the other woman and started to move toward the elevator.

Snyder sighed. "Look, she's a big girl and doesn't need you to play protector."

Callie stopped and looked back. "Yes, she is and yes, she makes her own decisions."

"And people change their minds all the time," Snyder answered mildly.

"You don't even know her. If you did, you'd know she isn't going to change her mind on this. On me."

"If you were that sure of yourself, then we wouldn't be having this discussion, would we?"

Callie took a step closer to the other woman. "You don't have a clue, do you?"

"You know what, we're done," Snyder insisted.

Folding her arms, Callie nodded. "Yeah, we are. Because this is a one woman race and I've already won it. So, go and find someone who is actually interested in you."

"Do you know how highly respected she is in our field? Or the caliber of experts in pediatric surgery who contact HER for advice? Top off her skills with the fact that she's great with patients, easy to talk to and gorgeous, what's not to like? Why shouldn't I give it a try?"

"Because... " Callie took a calming breath at the thought of exposing herself in the way she was about to. "Because for reasons I'll never understand and I thank God for every day, she loves me. Because I won't be without her. Because..." She felt tears pool in her eyes and forced them back. "I will not allow you to hurt her in any way."

Snyder looked at Callie for a few moments and then let out a deep breath. "Look, I'm not a heartless bitch. I get it, okay? I get it. But, like I said, if things are that great, then you have nothing to worry about."

Callie shook her head and then stared right into the other woman's eyes. "Just know one thing. If you do anything that hurts her, there will be nowhere you can hide. Nowhere." That said, Callie turned and walked away.

Snyder chuckled quietly as she watched Callie round the corner and go out of sight. Her chuckle faded as she turned to see Arizona there, fury evident in her azure eyes. "Doctor Robbins," Snyder acknowledged.

Arizona wasted no time in making a point. "It's time for you to leave, Doctor Snyder."

"What? We still have a surgery," Snyder argued.

"No. You're done," Arizona countered. "I will not be recommending you for a position here and you are no longer welcome to observe."

Snyder laughed. "Just like that? Because I told your girlfriend I was interested in you?"

"Well... it might be because I just heard back from Lynn Tonley at Roxbury Memorial in Boston and got the rundown of the personnel disaster you left there. She said to tell you to go to hell, by the way." Arizona took a step forward. "Or it could be your inappropriate behavior, which Doctor Altman has already reported to the Chief."

Arizona took another step forward to stand right in front of the other doctor. "But, since I prefer to be totally honest - you're right, that's exactly why. Because you and your ridiculous ego hurt someone I love more than I've loved anyone or anything. Because you've obviously never experienced someone who can sooth with a touch, inspire with a glance and promise a future you didn't even know you needed with a single kiss. I have that, Doctor Snyder. I have everything and you have nothing."

Arizona paused and made sure Doctor Snyder was completely focused on her before continuing, "So let me be crystal clear here. You're going to leave now and, unless you want me to start spreading the word to those experts you mentioned earlier, you're not going to play this contemptible game again. Ever. Find your own life, Snyder, and stop trying to steal someone else's."

Doctor Snyder stared back at Arizona for several long moments and then simply nodded to acknowledge her defeat before striding past the blonde woman to head back to pick up her personal items.

When Snyder disappeared around a corner, Arizona let out a long breath as she closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall. After several seconds of contemplation, a slight noise from the other end of the corridor got her attention.

Opening her eyes, Arizona saw an obviously chagrined Callie staring at her. "How much did you hear?"

"All of it," Callie replied as she shuffled forward towards Arizona.

"Good."

"Good?" Callie questioned.

"Yeah. I know how good it felt to hear you say what you said to her, to tell her you trust me. So, I'm glad you heard what I had to say because I meant every word."

Callie closed the final distance between them and planted a searing kiss on Arizona's lips. "I meant every word too."

"I should've figured it out right away," Arizona said as her arms loosely circled Callie's waist. "But, when I did start to get a clue, I made sure Teddy or Karev were around, just in case."

"Did Teddy really go to the Chief?"

Arizona chuckled. "Well, she actually got a 911 page, but I wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised if she does. I guess she'd picked up on some of what was going on and was pretty angry when I filled her in a bit more."

Callie pulled back slightly. "What else was going on?"

Arizona moved her body against Callie's again in a tight hug. "It's done. All over. Okay?"

Hearing a door open down the hall, Callie stepped back, but still kept contact by holding Arizona's hand. "She won't cause you trouble because of this, right?"

"No. She was right, I have a great reputation and she knows it would backfire on her if she tried something - especially with Lynn and Teddy's backup."

"I am so not sorry to see her go," Callie admitted.

Lifting a hand to Callie's cheek, Arizona smiled. "I was so proud of you for telling her how much you believed in me."

Thinking of her conversation with Julie, Callie said, "Sometimes you have to just believe and there's nobody I believe in more than you."

Arizona found she could not speak and simply started to move in closer to the other woman again.

"Stop, stop!" Bailey yelled, hands out in front of her and eyes closed. "I will NOT see this again. This is a hospital! Go!"

Callie laughed and apologized to Bailey as they started to move away, "Sorry! We're going, we're going!"

"Do not talk to me," Bailey insisted. "Do not look at me. Do not do anything but leave. GO!"

"It had to be Bailey," Arizona groaned, not looking back at the general surgeon as they walked away.

"At least it wasn't a certain redhead from Pathology," Callie teased.

"Redhead?"

"Oh, yes. Redhead," Callie said knowingly. "I'm thinking I need to know where you keep your stack of bricks and start practicing my own aiming tactics."

* * *

><p>Arizona Voice Over - When Doctors are faced with decisions that can change lives, we are fallible. As in our own lives, we make mistakes. We judge a situation and we make the best decision we can at that instant in time.<p>

Sometimes - as hard as we fight, as long as we keep up the battle, it just isn't enough and we have to face the consequences - as awful as they may be.

But sometimes, a miracle occurs. Once in a great while, there is a precious moment when the universe aligns and gives us one single path that leads to perfection. If we're lucky enough, we jump on and let it take us on the ride of our life and sometimes we get to bring someone with us.


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